For the last 2 weeks, I have been trying to subscribe to a particular service. As it happens today, this particular service provider has engaged vendors to provide the final link between itself and the end customer. In other words, the vendor will be the guy who will, at the end of the day deliver the service/product that I have signed up for.
I was told that the whole process should not take longer than 3 working days and yet I waited 1 week 4 days before a vendor finally arrived and told me that he is not sure why the sales people failed to tell me that the particular service that I have signed up for was not available at my area of residence. In summary, he is telling me politely that I can't have the service that I had been waiting for almost 2 weeks. Looking at it differently, I have been tyring desperately to become a customer of this service provider for almost 2 weeks and it all came to nothing!
In our short conversation he said something that caught my attention. He said something like " That's the problem with the sales people. When we call them to come for our own training to familiarize with the products and services they don't turn up... they have no idea of the finer aspects of the products and services"!
There you go friends! This particular organization has a long way to go before it can become even remotely a learning organization.
Becoming a learning organization, as I often point out in my programs, is not about technology alone. Yes, technology facilitates the learning process of an organization but it is just that...a facilitator. To truly become a learning organization and to be able to use each learning to add value to products and services and ultimately to add value to the customers' experience of that product or service , an organization must look at all the learning opportunities already available around it. Vendors, suppliers, employees, customers and other direct and indirect stakeholders are a gold mind of learning resources. There are much to learn from these simple and available resources and yet many organizations insist on technology first, learning later.
Recently, I was told about a company that is involved in developing complicated medical instruments and support systems. Every year, it organizes a get-together-session with selected patients from all over the world to share with the employees of this organization how its products have saved their lives. Most often than not, these employees break down in tears when they hear these stories as they realize how important their work is. They learn that what they do is important. They learn to take responsibility for their work. Now, this is what in my mind, a learning organization should do.
As for my desperate attempt to become a customer, I guess I will have to try again in two weeks time, as I will be back with the good people of Maybank for the final stages of my Personal Mastery Program for them.
I would also like to take this opportunity to convey my condolences to every one at Maybank for the loss of your dear friend and colleague, Mr. Francis. My condolences to the family of Mr. Francis. In the little time that I had with him during the program, I found him to be a man of passion and zest for life and a man deeply devoted to God and family. Rest in peace my friend for that is what we would have become if we had more time.
